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control cut direction of 4th axis rotary tool path


lowcountrycamo
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Monday morning I will begin a job on the mill using the 4th rotary tool path where y remains still and tool travels in x and z.  Similar to 4th axis substitution, but I am cutting surface geometry with a ball mill.   The part is a round with a bend in the center so as it turns it cams and z will move up and down while traveling in x.  My rotary is on the right and center on left.  I need cut from left to right. As of now the path is going from right to left.  I don't see a parameter to alter this direction.  My xy zero is on the left and center of part but I could change to right and center.  Z is center of rotary.  Thank you, Steve A.

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Draw the path you want to cut and drive it with Curve 5 axis in a 4 axis output. We use to old school this with pencil and paper about 20-25 years ago, but now you can use curve 5 axis to make the motion you want then drive it that way and then you have exactly what you want for motion. Yes extra work, but that is our job.

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5 minutes ago, Colin Gilchrist said:

Reverse the chaining direction of your path. 

Might not be that simple if he wants climb cutting ability. The Moduleworks toolpaths have start point and I have been using that quite bit as of late, but sometimes just and old school approach is the best way to get the job done. Then come back and experiment with other ways to do it better next time.

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I had the same issue.  There are several possible causes for this.  You need to do some testing on the 4th axis and make sure your post is properly configured.  I recently fought this with a Haas only to have it finally dawn on me that the machine parameters were wackadoo.

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Switch to multisuface, parallel, triangular mesh, or morph.  All three can easily do what you are describing with little bs, and as much control as you can wrap your head around.  multisurface allows you to create pattern surfaces with ease within the toolpath, parallel and morph will require you to create a cylindrical pattern surface and I use them all the time for exactly what you are describing.

Direction in multisurface is changed with the flow parameters.

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7 hours ago, lowcountrycamo said:

I am using surface selection, no curves or surface edges to select.   The part looks like a banana.  The would be like turning with an end mill. 

Do this all the time with endmills.  MultiAxis Rough might work if a more normal surface if like a banana then yes something different would be a better choice.

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